Empire Roofing & Restoration
About us
Empire Roofing is a locally owned and family operated business. Empire Roofing was started in 1990 by Joe Apsey-Vaughn, A Colorado Springs native, who now resides in Black Forest. In the early days, Joe was just looking to work everyday to provide for his family. Joe would do estimates in the morning, and do the roofs in the afternoon, he was a true “1 man shop”! He always was fair with his customers and was known for always doing the right thing. It did not take long until word spread and Empire started to grow. In 1998, Empire earned the Excellence in Customer Service award from the Better Business Bureau. Flash-forward to today, Empire still operates using the same principals. Always striving to give each customer the best experience possible, during the challenging process of having their roof replaced. Empire prides itself on the fact that 75% of all of their work comes from referrals or previous customers. That proves that “always doing the right thing” is the formula for success!
Business highlights
35 years of experience
Services we offer
Carpet Cleaning, Copper Flashing, Gutters, Mold Restoration, New Building Construction, Reflective Coatings, Replacement, Roof Deck Repair, Roof Drains Installed, Roof Repair, Smoke & Fire Restoration, Water Removal & Restoration, Waterproofing
Amenities
Free Estimates
Yes
Reviews
4.339 Reviews
| Number of Stars | Image of Distribution | Number of Ratings |
|---|---|---|
| 67% | ||
| 15% | ||
| 3% | ||
| 10% | ||
| 5% |
Showing 1-25 of 39 reviews
Sharon K.
Nov 2017
On July 28, 2016 we had three of our rental houses damaged by the hail storm. We contacted USAA, our insurance company, and they gave us the names of three roofers that they recommended for us to use for the repairs. One was Empire Roofing. As Empire Roofing had a free upgrade to Class 4 Impact Resistant Shingles, we contracted them to do the work. During the process, the employees were always polite and helpful. However, when unresolved issues were not resolved, the management failed miserably in my opinion. While I know that the hail storm put a burden on the roofing industry in general, I feel that Empire was poorly equipped to handle the extra work. While for the most part the shingles were installed correctly, one of my rentals had an excess of 200 nails left on the property. (I know, because I personally picked up that many & there were at least 10 nails laying in the driveway which luckily no one ran over.) A huge issue for us was the replacement of the HVAC vents. On one house, I had two other contractors that were bidding out additional items, caution me about the severe damage the vent had sustained and should be replaced ASAP. We were especially concerned due to the family that was living there and their safety. I went directly to Empire’s office and showed them pictures of the damaged HVAC vent and was told if possible they would send someone out that day to check it out. He also sent me to talk to another employee in the office to give him the addresses of our two other properties so they could check them as well. Four weeks went by while I kept calling to be sure the HVAC vent was replaced and kept getting promises that it was. Wrong! I had to keep driving by the rental to inspect myself & even when I called to say it still had not been fixed one of the owners assured me it was but would call his repairman to verify. The repair guy called me to verify it had not been done but he was there at the property and would fix (which he did). This took a whole month to fix after several calls to Empire. My husband had to actually climb up on the roofs of both our other rentals to verify they had not been done either. If we would had not been vigilant, I don’t believe those HVAC vents would have been replaced. Excuses were made that during the January time frame there was some shake up to existing staff that were let go but one of the owners would be combing over all the files to be sure things were taken care of. I just wonder how many other clients were in that January time frame that still don’t have their HVAC vents repaired. I don’t think we were asking too much to make sure the work we contracted for was completed without inspecting ourselves. We will not use Empire Roofing in the future.
Michael E.
Sep 2017
They're pretty good. The only complaint we had about them is because they were doing so many roofs they did have an out of state roof that time and there were nails everywhere on the ground. And they were going to come back and clean it up with a heavy duty magnet and they never did so that is the only negative. Otherwise everything else was good. It was really good quality and performance. They only had the one drawback. They were literally going from one house to another as quick as they could. It ended up being the highest end roof for the lower price.
Courtney M.
Aug 2017
They did a great job. The estimate was accurate, their crew showed up on time, and they worked quickly; the re-roof was completed in a day. After the work was finished they had quality control back out to inspect. I really appreciate this attention to detail.
Zachary O.
Aug 2017
We had an incredibly painful experience. I cannot recommend them at all. We had a leak develop in August 2016. The project manager was next to impossible to get in touch with. Our records show for every three calls/texts/emails we placed to Empire we got one call back. The project manager was frequently late for appointments. (Full disclosure - I was late to one as well.) There were five windows ordered. Two of the windows were ordered incorrectly (clear glass vs privacy glass and other style issues). We were told the windows would arrive in 6-8 weeks because the large hailstorm that hit the area. We called after eight weeks and were told by the project manager there was a problem with the order, but that it would be rushed. Based on my interactions with him, and his poor oversight, I suspect they were never ordered the first time. The work on the windows wasn't complete until December 2016. It would not have been done by then either if we hadn't hounded the project manager to what we were paying him to do. The drywall removal, inspection and repair began mid-January 2017, and was completed at the end of February 2017. It was a couple of square feet section in an interior closet and an unpainted strip of garage ceiling. It could have been done in two days, but took six weeks because of the project manager's ineptness. When the drywall was repaired in the garage, they broke a shelf (of course the stuff on the shelf was damaged too) and made no attempt to tell us about it, or fix it - we weren't on site to have them take care of it at the completion of the work. Once the work was done at the end of February we waited for a bill. Finally, in an effort to be honest, I texted the project manager in May to ask for a bill. Two months later in the beginning of July, I finally received an invoice. It had no details (materials vs labor, no dates, etc.) - just an amount. After requesting more information we got a more detailed invoice a few days later. I was uncomfortable paying the full amount so I reached out to the owner to express my concerns. I learned the project manager was no longer with the company. It was as difficult to reach the owner as it was the project manager. We discussed the concerns and offered to pay the entire cost of the windows, but asked them to absorb the drywall repairs. He let us know the windows were put in at cost and they made no money on them (this was unknown to us, and additional proof of the project manager's incompetence), so he was uncomfortable with my offer. He also noted that the work had been completed to our satisfaction. They apologized for our experience. We eventually reached a compromise on a discounted amount that he felt was too much of a discount and that I didn't feel like wasn't enough of a discount. While the work was indeed completed to our satisfaction, it was the most painful business transaction I've ever endured. The business consistently made excuses about being too busy - if that's the case then quit taking on new work so the jobs you have on hand can be done well.
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"Mr. [Member Name Removed], We apologize for the experience you had during your project. While we don't like to make excuses, we were just hit with the largest hail storms in the history of Colorado Springs, and our staff was spread very thin. We do appreciate the feedback and will certainly be implementing some different strategies to ensure that this experience does not happen again. We do hope the 25% discount on your bill has helped make up for our lack of communication and scheduling delays. As of our last phone conversation, you were satisfied with the workmanship on your project, If anything changes with that, please don't hesitate to contact us. If there is anything we can do to earn back your business please let us know."
Jackie H.
Jul 2017
Empire Roofing in Colorado Springs was on the approved list with my insurance company so we went with them in March of 2017. It was a very bad experience from the beginning to the end. It is July and we still don't have a city roof inspection so I cannot say if the roof was done well. I do know that I called the police non-emergency number because of the behavior of the roofing team and was told that the Police Department surely would have sent out an officer when they blocked my garage door with their debris truck and refused three times to move it. Not one would speak English, even when I encountered difficulties, though at the end of the day I found out one could speak English very well. In nearly 50 years with my insurance company I have never been so distraught over the behavior of an approved contractor. When I contacted the owner he replied with an email that did not accept his responsibility and he attacked my integrity.
Randy B.
Jun 2017
We're still working through the process of the insurance. As a roofer they were recommended by my insurance company, so that made them easier to work with.
Catherine W.
Mar 2017
The roofing went fine. Gutters and siding repairs eventually came. We were told there was a brief wait. I am writing this in March of 2017 and the final work has yet to be completed. I have called and emailed. We keep getting the run around. We get promises that we will be contacted "next week," but next week we never hear anything. Empire claims that there are employees who have been let go. Perhaps there is chaos in their organization, but the very least they can do is keep their customers who have contracted their services in the loop as to when restoration will be completed. We have been civil and respectful. Empire just placates our complaints and never does anything to bring our contract restoration to completion.
Susan B.
Nov 2016
While Empire was great to deal with when they were trying to earn my business, they have been absolutely HORRIBLE afterwards. The true measure of a company's performance is not just in their dealings with you to earn your business and the work they perform, but how they handle questions, concerns, and problems with their work afterwards. 1) The workers did not show up on the day scheduled, but a day later. Scheduling in general was a complete nightmare. 2) The overall quality of the work performed was average at best (no attention to detail) and there were several issues and mistakes that needed to be corrected. I had to call the "project manager" of my project directly to get somebody to address the concerns and to get a crew back out to fix all of the issues. The crew also damaged and scuffed up the siding on my house performing the work, but I was so ready to be done with the nightmare that I told them I would take care of those issues (which is many hours and dollars worth of my time). 3) After the MISTAKES with the initial installation were corrected, I received a bill for ADDITIONAL CHARGES. 4) I sent 2 emails and called the main number 5 times during normal business hours regarding the additional charges, with no returned emails or voicemails. I called a 6th time and finally had somebody pick up the phone in order to discuss the erroneous additional charges. 5) After I spoke to their bookkeeper about the erroneous charges, she said that, in order to take them off, I had to speak to their estimator and explain things to him so that he could ask her to remove the charges. She stated that she would have him call me that day. I never heard back and sent an additional email to her asking the estimator to call me and have still not heard back, despite me making it clear that my insurance had to have the correct information (i.e. estimate matching invoice) before they would pay out the claim. 6) Empire is also supposed to replace my gutters, however my project manager told me that the gutter replacement was at least 4-6 weeks out and that I wasn't even on the radar and schedule yet. Apparently they sub-contract this out to another company and do not actually do this work themselves. If I ever hear back from Empire again, I will be telling them not to bother with the gutters and I will either do them myself or have someone professional actually install them.
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"We are sorry to hear that you had such a negative experience with our company after having an initially positive experience. We at Empire Roofing and Restoration take pride in providing excellent experiences and customer service to all of our customers. In your complaint you stated you were unhappy with the scheduling process and the length of time it would take to get your gutters completed, unfortunately due to the historic hailstorm that took place in Colorado Springs at the end of this summer it has caused our scheduled to get quite backed up since the storm destroyed a majority of the homes in this city. In your complaint you stated that the workers did not show up as initially scheduled but the next day, unfortunately our crew was finishing up a previous job that took longer then anticipated but we communicated that information to you and made sure that you stayed informed through the whole process. You mentioned that you had some damage to siding to your home during the process. Empire Roofing and Restoration is a long-term company that stands behind its product and workmanship. If you are interested, we would be happy to meet and take a look at the stated damage. If the damage; was in fact caused by our crews, we will be happy to rectify the situation. We do appreciate your comments and your critique of our operation, however please remember that we are here to complete all work and are willing to work with you going forward to make sure your properly taken care of and potentially can remain one or our satisfied and long term customers."
Jeffery W.
May 2016
unknown
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"Thank you for taking the time to give us a review. We appreciate your business!"
Sandra H.
Dec 2015
unknown
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"Thank you for your review we appreciate your business."
Anthony C.
Dec 2015
unknown
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"Mr. [Member Name Removed] Thank you for taking time to give us a review! We appreciate your business hope you have a wonderful Christmas."
PETER K.
Nov 2015
unknown
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"Mr. [Member Name Removed], I am sorry to hear about all the confusion with your gutters, we try really hard to get things right the first time around. Thank you for your honest review we will work harder on the communication between the estimator and crews! Hope you have a great day! Monica"
Ilsegret B.
Sep 2015
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Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"Thank you for giving us the opportunity to work with you! We appreciate your business."
Doug N.
Sep 2015
unknown
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"Thank you for your business, please feel free to call us if and when you have any issues with your roof! Monica"
Cathleen C.
Mar 2015
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Thomas M.
Mar 2015
We did roofing and we used Empire Roofing. Overall it went excellent. I have used them before. They come in and they do a good job. I don't have any problems with it. I have used them twice. I would grade them 'A' all the way down.
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"We really appreciate your business! A repeat customer is our greatest complement! Please don't hesitate to contact us if there is anything else you need. The staff at Empire Roofing"
Dale F.
Feb 2015
They were excellent and went above and beyond. The situation was that at the very last minute, I found out that we had to have a new roof put on the house. Yet this was going to be a rental and people were moving in in like two and a half weeks. So empire came out immediately and saved me. They said when the insurance adjuster came out, he would be willing to meet up with them so he actually came back out and met with the insurance adjuster. What happened was that the roof was not eligible for a roofing claim but it had to be put there. So I was really under a tight schedule. So I picked up the roof and signed the paper. He knew what a tight schedule I was on and he prearranged for his crew to be ready and available. They got the roof done before the tenant moved in. I was extremely impressed.
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"[removed member name], We where so happy to help! We really appreciate your business, please let us know if there is anything else you need from us! Thanks Again, The staff of Empire Roofing"
William M.
Oct 2014
They did a very good job!
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"Thank you for the kind words and you business!"
Ron T.
Aug 2014
They are professional, reasonably priced, reliable and honest.
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"It was a pleasure doing business with you! Please don't hesitate to call if you need anything else."
Timothy B.
Jun 2014
unknown
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"(Removed members personal information.) Thank you for your review, please let us know if there is anything else we can do for you! Monica"
Joanne W.
Jun 2014
They did the job quickly and well. It was reasonable because the insurance company had estimated more than what their price was! The results were good and they did a good clean up job after themselves, as well!
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"Members Name Removed , Thank you for your review, Please let us know if you need anything in the future. Monica"
Laurie H.
May 2014
It was fine. I will absolutely use them again.
Response from Empire Roofing & Restoration
"Thanks for the kind words! It was a pleasure doing business with you!"
Deborah B.
Apr 2014
unknown
James P.
Feb 2014
It's an excellent company and did a very good job. They cleaned up everything. The price was good.
Betty C.
Nov 2013
It was hard to find the place of the leak so they did a water test, thought it was fixed, did another water test and it wasnt fixed.Theyfixed it another place andit is done. They paid for the ceiling and walls inside to be repaired and repainted
Licensing
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FAQ
Empire Roofing & Restoration is currently rated 4.3 overall out of 5.
Yes, Empire Roofing & Restoration offers free project estimates.
No, Empire Roofing & Restoration does not offer eco-friendly accreditations.
No, Empire Roofing & Restoration does not offer a senior discount.
No, Empire Roofing & Restoration does not offer emergency services.
No, Empire Roofing & Restoration does not offer warranties.